This my “re-make” of my mom’s interchangeable pumpkin/zucchini bread recipe.  I split the fat between butter and applesauce, decreased the amount of sugar and combined regular and whole-wheat flours.  You can sub in 3 cups shredded zucchini for the pumpkin if you’re making this in the summer.  Despite the healthful additions, the bread is still very flavorful and moist.  In fact, I think the pumpkin flavor comes through more with less sugar!

Holly’s Healthy Pumpkin Bread with Cranberries and Walnuts

1/3 C butter

1/3 C applesauce (no sugar added)

2 C sugar

4 eggs

1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree

2/3 C water

1.5 C unbleached all-purpose flour

1.75 C white whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1.5 tsp salt

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/3 C dried cranberries

1/3 C toasted walnuts, chopped

pumpkin seeds (optional)

Cream butter and sugar together in bowl of electric mixer.  Add applesauce, eggs, pumpkin, water and mix until blender.  Meanwhile, sift together the flours, baking soda and powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice.  Add to wet ingredients and mix until just blended.  Fold in cranberries and walnuts.  Pour into two greased loaf pans.  Top with a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds.

Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes, rotating pans halfway through.  Loaves are finished when a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.

Nutritional information: 1/12th of a loaf

150 cal, 4.58g fat (1.92g sat), 42g chol., 173mg sodium, 15.66g carb., 2g fiber, 3.42g sugars, 5.55g protein